Indian cricketer Shubman Gill is currently facing challenges in Test cricket, having not scored a half-century since the World Test Championship 2023 Final against Australia. Despite his promising performance in white-ball cricket, Gill's Test performance in 2023 was underwhelming, with only 258 runs to his name.
Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports, pointed out that Gill's struggles may stem from his approach to red-ball cricket. Gill, who has recently been moved to the No. 3 spot in the batting order, is considered a potential future replacement for Virat Kohli at the No. 4 position in Tests. However, his performance at No. 3 during the South Africa tour was not as successful as hoped, leading to concerns about his adaptability to this role.
"I think he is playing a bit too aggressively in Test cricket. There is a slight difference when you play Test cricket vs T20I and ODI cricket. The difference is in the ball. The red ball moves a little more than the white ball in the air and off the pitch as well. It bounces a little more too. He should keep in that in mind," Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar expressed hope that Shubman Gill will address and rectify these issues during practice sessions in the nets. This adjustment is crucial for Gill as he is expected to play in the upcoming New Year's Test match against South Africa, which is set to begin on January 3. This match is particularly significant for Gill to prove his mettle, especially in the wake of India's batting struggles in the first Test of the series.
"Shubman Gill started off his career so well and we praised his shots. We can only hope that he gets back into his form. Hope he trains harder and does well in the future," Gavaskar further added.
India, having suffered a defeat by an innings in the first Test at Centurion, is looking to make a strong comeback in the upcoming match. This final encounter in the tour of South Africa presents an opportunity for the team, and particularly for Shubman Gill, to turn around their fortunes and demonstrate resilience in the face of recent challenges.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
'I am happy to eat my words..': Aussie stalwart takes U-turn, publicly apologises to Pat Cummins after scathing remark
'Davey's not a selector': Australia head coach Andrew McDonald nonchalantly overlooks David Warner's suggestion
